Sofa sleepers are popular with consumers because they can function both as a standard sofa and as a bed. A sleeper mechanism, essentially a foldable mattress supported by a sofa sleeper mechanism, can be folded within sofa frame underneath the sofa cushions to allow the sofa sleeper to be used as if it were a standard sofa. When the cushions are removed and the sleeper mechanism is extended out, the sofa sleeper can function more similar to a bed.
The sofa sleeper mechanisms of sofa sleepers are typically installed into the frame of the sofa sleeper along an assembly line. The frame typically being formed of wood or wood products fastened together to form a pair of sides, a back, and a lower base, the lower base being open on top and on bottom. The “sides” include a pair of side panel members that face the cavity to receive the sleeper mechanism. Typically, the sofa frame is “dressed” with fiber board, padding, and upholstery before the sleeper mechanism is installed. The sofa sleeper mechanisms have a pair of elongate horizontal brackets, one on each side of the sleeper mechanism upon which several linkages are connected. The sleeper mechanisms attach to the sofa frames exclusively or primarily by fasteners extending through the pair of brackets and into or through the sides of the frame. Each of the elongate horizontal brackets have a plurality of L-shaped slots extending downwardly from a top edge of the brackets. The lower leg of the L pointing towards the “head side” or top of the sleeper mechanism and mattress combination, that is they point toward the back of the sofa sleeper. Conventionally, the sleeper mechanism is positioned on a table and the sofa sleeper frame is lifted up and over the sleeper mechanism and is then lowered, by an individual on each end, down over the sleeper mechanism. Each end of the sofa frame maneuvered and adjusted to position studs or screws that are extending horizontally inward from each of the respective two side panel members down into the L-shaped slots of the elongate horizontal brackets that extend downwardly from the top edge of the bracket. Typically at least two studs, bolts or screws are extending from each side of the sofa frame that need to be guided into the slots extending from the top of the mechanism. The threaded fasteners are guided downward, by maneuvering the fully dressed sofa frame, and then are guided rearwardly in the lower leg of the L-shaped slots. The at least two studs, bolts, or screws are then tightened and additional wood screw type fasterners may be added through existing holes in the bracket into the side panel member. The sleeper frame with sleeper mechanism attached therein is moved to the next operation in the sofa assembly process.
Such assembly process demands at least two individuals to lift and maneuver the “fully dressed” sofa frame over the sleeper mechanism. Such sofa frame is typically much heavier than the sleeper mechanism. Thus, this type of assembly is awkward and inefficient as it is difficult to precisely maneuver the heavy fully dressed sofa frame so that the extending threaded members are guided into the L-shaped slots and then are guided rearwardly to finally seat at the end of the slot. Other than the workers forcing the threaded members into the end of the slot there is no assurance that the sofa mechanism will be properly seated therein. With the fasteners being inside the sofa and not readily accessible or viewable, such misalignment may go unnoticed and can lead to subsequent loosing of the overall sleeper mechanism to sofa frame attachment.
Moreover, the fasteners that extend from the side panel members are attached to downwardly extending slots on the horizontal brackets of the sleeper. If the fasteners securing the brackets to the sofa frame loosen, the mechanism can fall out of the sofa frame when the sleeper sofa is lifted by the consumer. If there is any shift forward of the threaded members with respect to the horizontal brackets the sleeper mechanism can fall within the sleeper mechanism cavity and can fall out of the sofa frame when lifted by the consumer.
Such an assembly above also dictates at least two people handling the sofa frame and sleeper mechanism install. A more reliable and efficient means of assembling sleeper mechanisms into sofa frames is needed.
It is possible to install such sleeper mechanisms with the sofa frame rotated 90 degrees backwards and with the open bottom of the unit facing outwardly. This is quite difficult in that conventional slots on the horizontal brackets of sleeper mechanisms extend from the top edge and go rearwardly (toward the users' head when the mechanism and mattress are open), the sleeper mechanism must be manually held upward to seat the threaded members in the slot while the threaded members are being secured. This also is awkward and increases the potential of the threaded fasteners not being properly seated in the end of the L-shaped or hook shaped slots. The sleeper generally must then be partially opened to secure the threaded fasterners in place, while the workers are bearing the weight of the sleeper mechanism, and to drive additional fasteners, typically screws, through the horizontal bracket (oriented vertically for this step) for additional support. The assembled sofa frame and sleeper then continue along the assembly line.
Although this process allows lifting of the relatively lighter sleeper mechanism compared to the sofa frame, there remains a need for a more efficient and less labor intensive method of installing a sleeper mechanism in a sofa sleeper.